1 Sunday, April 22, 2012 3rd Sunday of Easter Pastor Dena Williams Denver, Colorado Acts 3:12-19 Psalm

4 I John 3:1-3 Luke 24:36-48 But what I have, I give you Im worried. You see it there, in the bulletin, the title of this sermon: But what I have, I give you. Nice. I thought that this week, I did what I always do. I thought I read the Scripture carefully, found an idea around which a story could be developed, and spent time thinking on that idea in light of Scripture. I thought that is what I did. I arrived at a title from the text: But what I have, I give you. Well, that phrase is in Scripture somewhere . . . I just dont know where. It is certainly not in our Scripture reading for today. What was I thinking?! So, I went back to the text and . . .

2 What I found, what I have, is what I give you. It is a good story, this story from the Gospel of Luke. This story follows a more famous story, the one about the two friends walking on the road to Emmaus. The friends were in Jerusalem when Jesus, their friend, was crucified. They are walking home, disappointed and sad, walking along the road toward home. Someone falls in step with them. He asks why they are sad. They tell him that their friend, the one they thought was to be the savior of the world, was crucified in Jerusalem. They tell how some of the women went to the tomb and then came to tell them that their friend Jesus rose from the dead. But they did not see him. They are confused and sad. The one walking with them begins to teach them many things, he tells them stories from the Bible. He begins with Moses, moves through the prophets, reminds them of the story of how the Son of God was to come to earth, be crucified, and rise again on the third day. That evening the two invite their new friend in to eat with them. The identity of their new friend is revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. Then Jesus disappears from their sight.

3 In todays Gospel the two friends hurry back to Jerusalem. They are with many of the friends of Jesus. They tell the story of how Jesus walked with them, how he was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. So begins our story for today: While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you. Once more, Jesus eats with his friends, then, he opens their minds to understand the scriptures. What he has, he gives to them. He gives them understanding. Both on the road to Emmaus and with his friends in Jerusalem, Jesus gives what he has to give. He tells stories and gives understanding. Nice I think that is what my job is, too, to tell stories and encourage understanding. I dont understand perfectly all the time, none of us do, but what understanding I have, I give to you. I do the best I can. Your job is to take the story and add to my understanding with understandings of your own, to do the best you can. There is another story in our lessons for today. It is from the Book of Acts. Again, this lesson is the end of a story that comes before it. The Book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke,

4 the sequel, Volume 2 of Luke. It is the story of what happens to the friends of Jesus after he rises from the dead and ascends into heaven. In todays story from Acts, Jesus friends, Peter and John, Are preaching and teaching about Jesus. They are sharing the good news, telling the story and their understanding of what it means to repent, believe, and be baptized. What they have, they give. Nice. They are on their way to the temple for 3:00 prayers. Even though Peter and John are Christ believers, they are also Jewish. In those early days, Christ believers did not forsake Judaism, they held to the tradition of their ancestors and formed a community within Judaism, a community that believed that Jesus was the Messiah. So Peter and John are on their way to prayer service at the temple. There is a man lame from birth who lives in Jerusalem. Everyday his friends bring him to the temple gate so he can ask for alms from those going to worship. On this day, he asks Peter and John for alms. They look at him intently. The man gets excited, thinking they will give him money. Peter speaks to him: I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you . . . There it is! I havent lost my mind! Whew! Peter says:

5 But what I have I give you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk. The man jumps up. The text says: Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. The people in the temple watch in amazement. The story continues: While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them. They were utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we made him walk. It was not through our power, but through the power of the God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, and Jesus, the servant of God, the one glorified, it was through Gods power that this man was made to walk. Peter said, But what I have I give you, in Jesus name. Nice Two stories, one the story of our risen Lord,

6 one a story of the power of God to heal. Two stories. But what I have I give you, in Jesus name. Find what you need in these stories. Find hope and comfort, find love and compassion, find wisdom and understanding, find grace, find faith, find challenge. But what I have I give you, in Jesus name. Allow the Spirit to work in you. Find what you need in these stories. Do the best you can. Amen